Horseshoe calk



Jan. 31, 1928. 1,657,565

. J. S. COATES HORSESHOE CALK Filed Feb. v, 1925 lit Patented Jan. 31, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrica.

JOSEPH S. COATES, OF GOSI-IEN, NEW YORK..

HORSEESHOE CALK.

Application filed February 7, 1925. Serial No. 7,499.

The improvements relate to the class of devices commonly called horseshoe calks, and have for their objects, among others, the provision of a spring heel device employing a piece of resilient material for a cushion which may be quickly and easily removed when worn and replaced by a person of ordinary skill and without the employment of tools, and which when in place will serve its purpose efficiently and be automatically held in such place in spite of all the shocks and strains to which it is subjected. This provision also permits the driver to use cushions of different sizes and thereby adjust the shoe to the peculiarities of different horses or to different conditions. It also makes it possible to substitute metallic or other non-resiliant heel calks for the cushions when icy pavements or other conditions make it advisable.

The improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a bottom view of a horseshoe provided with heel cushions embodying the improvements;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the heel portion and cushion shown in Fig. 1 taken sub stantially on the line 22 thereof looking in the direction indicated by the arrows in that figure;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the heel portion of the shoe shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of a heel portion of a shoe similar to that shown in Fig. 1 but showing a modification; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical medial section of one of the removable cushions of compressible material used in embodying the improvements.

The shoe is of the usual form, and may or may not be provided with a toe calk. In the preferred form the shoe 1 itself at the heel portion and on the inside is provided with an open-ended slot- 2 extending from the inner edge to a point near the middle thereof at an angle other than a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the shoe, which is adapted to receive the connecting portion 3 of the resilient cushion 3, which is so formed as to fit snugly within the said slot and fill the same, while the extending portions overlap and are held in contact with the upper and lower surfaces of the shoe heel. This cushion member may be of any suitable shape and thickness and cushions of different shapes and thickness may different conditions.

In order to provide means for clamping the upper overlapping portion of the cushion on the shoe, and to give a certain. amount-of strength and resiliency to the cushion, a tongue l is riveted or otherwise secured near the heel, and extends over the upper surface of the cushion so as to compress it between the said tongue and the shoe heel by the weight of the horse when the shoe is in contact with the ground. In order to accommodate this tongue the shoe is provided with a step 5 to receive its forward portion, and another step 6 is provided to afford a space for the upper overlapping portion of the cushion. In this manner the cushion is securely held in place and a smooth surface presented to the bottom of the horses hoof.

The engagement of the connecting portion 3 with the walls of the slot 2 and of the overlapping adjacent surfaces of the cushion with the heel are sufficient tohold the cushion in place under ordinary strains, but with the tongue 4 the upper section of the cushion is securely clamped, and in such a manner that the greater the weight or shock the greater the clamping action. The position, form and direction of the slot 2 are also important, and it has been found by careful observation and experiment that when the slot is located on the inside of the heel and extends in the general direction of the extreme end of the heel at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the shoe, the impact of the shoe on the horses hoof with the ground will have a tendency to force it toward the end of the slot, since the heel of the horse first comes in contact with the ground, and when the horses hoof leaves the ground the weight of the animal is principally on the toe, due to the lengthwise turning movement from heel to toe made by the horse in taking a step. The size, location and relative position of the slot and the cushion member may, however, be varied within certain limits.

In the modified form illustrated in Fig. l, the shoe itself is made without bends or steps, and the tongue 7 is secured to the bot tom thereof and has a step or bend to space it from the bottom of the shoe, while the cushion engages a slot 8 in the tongue and V is clamped between the tongue and the hot-r tom of the shoe. The shoe and tongue may be connected in any suitable manner, or maythereof be made integral in either form.

hat I claim is:

1. A horseshoe provided with an openended slot extending from the inner edge thereof at an inside heel portion into the interior of the shoe and L'CtllWVflltllY, a cushion member forming :1 calk having it connecting; portion engaged by the edges of the slot and. fitting the said slot and having; poi-tio'ns on both sides of said COl'lIlQCiIillg portion ex tending over the said heel portion and in permanent contact with both sides thereof.

2 In combination With'the device specitied in claim 1, a metallic tongue secured to Joseph s. igjoivi" 

